Batman: Hereafter
by Mogwhy15
Summary: Batman thought he'd seen the last of Gotham but when The Joker and half of Arkham escapes at the hand of the deluded Harley Quinn, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle must return to help John Blake restore order to the city.
1. Chapter 1

One:

"I knew you wouldn't last five minutes." Selina said as she threw random items of clothing into her open suitcase.

Bruce was on the opposite side of the bed trying in vain to calm Selina down. "Can you just listen to me, first?" Bruce cried, his tone filled with exasperation. Selina started to zip up her luggage then glanced up at him briefly.

"No. Because I know for a fact I won't like what I hear." She grabbed the handle and started to stride towards the bedroom door. Bruce came round the bed, stepped in front of her and slammed the door shut.

" I'm not moving until you put that god damn bag down and listen to what I have to say." Selina sighed, let go of the handle and waited for him to speak. "Thank you." Bruce said through gritted teeth.

"Now, I know I said I was done with Batman. And I really, really wanted to be. But this is really important. Blake needs me. Gotham needs me. I can't let what happened last time go and happen again." Selina's expression softened when she heard his voice crack, just like the rest of her had softened when she retrieved his unconscious and bloody body from the bay six months ago. "Bruce." Selina said his name with a voice full of love and longing, a voice she had never used until she met him.

"I understand. Really, I do. You love your city, so much so that you would risk your life for it and I admire that. I admire how loyal and dedicated you are." She cupped his cheek with her right hand, her fingers lightly stroking a small scar just below his cheekbone.

"But I love you. I need you. Sometimes, more than that place ever did. That's why I want you to stay because I don't want to lose you."

Bruce felt his heart break. After Rachel had died he thought he might never love again. Then, Selina came along. Maybe because she understood more than anyone what it was like to want to start afresh, hide behind a mask and lose everything you loved. Maybe that was why when she kissed him that final time he fell in love with her. He couldn't help himself; it had been inevitable from the start. Falling in love with Selina was just something that had been waiting to happen.

"I never want to lose you either." He said honestly. "That's why I want you to come with me. Because when I'm with you, Selina Kyle, I can do anything. Without you, I don't think I can do this."

Selina nodded and collected herself. "Alright then." She wrapped her arms around him and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'll come with you."


	2. Chapter 2

Two:

The Joker had been planning his escape from Arkham for months. The news had been impossible to ignore and the gullible blonde too hard to resist. Doctor Harleen Quinzel had started off tough to beat. She had been smart, picking her methods carefully and asking the right questions.

Harleen had enticed him; that much was true but at the end of the day she was still a woman and every woman had a weak point. Harleen Quinzel's had happened to be him.

His seduction had begun as small comments, then longer sessions and finally a full blown affair. She was convinced he loved her and he made sure he sounded like he did. Eventually, Harleen believed the lie and The Joker had found a way out - her.

It was February, 25th and it was snowing. The last time it had snowed, Bane and his League of Shadows had been controlling the streets of Gotham. The enemy was now long gone, the memory of his siege almost forgotten and Batman had been dead for six months.

The Joker didn't believe for one second that he was of course because not long after Batman had been reported 'dead' a new vigilante under the name of 'Nightwing' had assumed the role of Gotham's protector. Now, The Joker didn't think 'Nightwing' was 'Batman.' He knew Batman and Nightwing was not him. However, he lurked his knowledge and his skill. Only someone that had knew The Dark Knight could be that slick.

Yes, The Joker believed that Batman was alive, watching from the sidelines as the 'new guy' made a name for himself.

"You just couldn't do it, could you?" The Joker said aloud. He was alone in his cell and currently talking to the wall. Apart from Harley, it was the only company he had.

The guards used to enjoy throwing him around a bit but they soon grew tired, The Joker never fought back. He would just lay on the floor laughing. That proved more effective than a punch sometimes. The Joker stole a glance at the watch Harley had given him -

2.05 am.

Fifty five minutes from now and The Joker would be free.

He just didn't expect half of Arkham to be walking free with him.


	3. Chapter 3

Three:

A floor down and two cells away from Victor Zsasz, Lea Thompson is curled up into a tight ball, peeking through her fringe at Hugo Strange. For the last ten minutes she has had to listen to him go on about how he wants to get to know her. _Psychiatrists really are full of bullshit_ she thinks to herself. _Get to bloody know me? He wants to fucking study me. _

"You see, Lea?" Hugo says. "I can't help you if you don't help me."

A snort escapes from the back of Lea's throat.

"What was that for?" Hugo asks, leaning forward in his chair. Hugo is a burly man, tall, strong and physically intimidating. He looks to be in his mid forties or at the latest early fifties. Sporting a short brown beard, bald head and round glasses, Hugo has all the qualities of a man with great intelligence and power. The chair creaks as he inspects her and Lea has never felt more like a zoo animal in her life.

"That." Lea growled, looking up at him. "Is me saying I don't give a shit."

Even though Lea hasn't spoken a word since the day she arrived in Arkham, Hugo remains strangely calm at her sudden outburst. Instead, he smiles like she's just said something funny.

"Finally." He says. "The girl speaks." Lea blinks. The guy just played her. The whole 'I want to help you' speech was a load of crap. He just wanted to get her talking.

"Wow." Lea breathes. "You're good." Hugo shrugged.

"I'll only be good when you start pouring your heart out to me."

That was undeniably true. Lea had been placed in Arkham Asylum when she was nineteen. The court had been convinced Lea had murdered her parents in a brutal attack that had taken place in the living room of 55 Richardson Street with a butcher's knife for a weapon. Lea had no alibi but she did have a witness. The witness was her next door neighbour who had heard the painful screams of her mother through the thin walls that separated her house from theirs. Truth be told, the trial hadn't been a fair one. No-one including Lea herself knew exactly what had happened that night. If Lea had indeed killed her parents she couldn't remember it. Not one single thing.

"I didn't do it." Lea blurted out.

Hugo raised an eyebrow at her, his blue irises full of curiosity.

"The judge said you did."

"Well he would, wouldn't he?" Lea spat. "That's their job."

Lea stretched out her legs and tucked her auburn hair behind her ears trying to calm her anger. Whilst doing so, Hugo finally got a real look at his patient and found her to be quite beautiful. There was something about the way she bit her lip when she was thinking and laced her hands tightly together when she was nervous that gave way to an intensely determined yet fragile creature. Hugo didn't think Lea looked like the type of person who could savagely rip apart an innocent human being. Then again, what did he know? Jonathan Crane had seemed pretty normal until he started scaring the life out of people with his fear toxins. Right now, Lea Thompson could be capable of anything.

"Lea. You've been here for nearly three years now. You could have told me what you believed in your first week. Instead, you wait until today. Why?"

"I don't-"

Lea's reply is cut short because right then the door to every cell in Arkham Asylum is opened and the security alarms begin to wail.


	4. Chapter 4

Four –

John was about to take a refreshing shower when Commissioner Gordon called for him.

"Blake? I need you at Arkham - all hells breaking loose. Apparently, all the patients have been freed."

John knew the Commissioner well enough by now to know when he was freaking out. Gordon was a good man who was good at his job nevertheless there was only so much that the Police Force could do and with a place like Arkham on their hands, they needed someone with a bit more…brutality?

"I'm on my way." Blake answered then ended the call.

When Blake first took over from Wayne as Gotham's protector he had contemplated using the bat signal but then decided against it. Bruce may not be in Gotham anymore but Batman was his legacy. For some reason he felt bad using his stuff even if he had left it all to him. Except for the Tumbler, _now that was something he didn't want mind using at all. _

"Alfred?" John shouted as he ran like lighting down the marble staircase. "I'm going out... and I'll be back late."

Fifteen minutes later and John was scaling Arkham's walls.

* * *

The soft click of her patent heels against the freshly mopped floor echoed along the hallway. Bun tight, coat pressed and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, Harleen Quinzel looked exactly the same as she had when she'd first arrived at Arkham. However, her mind was a different matter all together. The spark, the spark of madness, had always been there, lurking in the back of her head. It had just been waiting for a mad man with a purple suit, green hair and Chelsea smile to help it turn into a flame. Of course, flames grow, eventually turning into fires. And when a fire spreads, the result can be destruction. Harleen had got her fire and it was burning brighter than the sun. Destruction was only a few moments away.

"Doctor. Quinzel?"

Harleen stopped. In front of her was Chris Rogan. He'd been at guard at Arkham three years before Harleen had even arrived there. Chris was a gentle man at heart and had shown Harleen various amounts of kindness while she'd been settling in at Arkham. To be fair, they all had. None of that mattered now though. Her objective was simple; save the Joker. Not anyone else.

"Chris." Harleen replied, her tone surprisingly light. "I didn't realise you were working."

Chris hooked his fingers through the loopholes in his jeans and stared at her with a hint of confusion on his brow.

"I'm always working Wednesdays. What you doing down here anyway? Shouldn't you be heading home by now?"

_Shit._

"I needed to talk to one of the guys about something." She gestured to the control room with a nod of her head. "About surveillance for one of my patient's rooms."

Chris shrugged just as Harleen thought he would. "I'd be happy to pass on a message? It's just you know what they're like - only certain personnel or allowed inside."

Harleen clenched her fists, trying to hide her frustration. "But it's-"

"Harleen, go home."

She blinked her big blue baby doll eyes at him, dumbfounded.

"Right, okay. Erm…"

Harleen turned around as if to walk away. Really, she was slowly easing the knife out from the inside of her coat.

_This is for you, Puddin._

Harleen whirled around and charged at Chris. But he was quicker than her and blocked a slice at his chest before throwing his weight at Harleen. Losing her balance and her blade, Harleen hit the ground but then managed to kick Chris in the groin as he was going to restrain her. Chris groaned, his balls throbbing and reached for his gun. Harleen pulled herself up onto her knees then reached for the knife. Chris cocked his gun just as her long, pale fingers wrapped around the handle.

"Move and I'll blow your god damn head off."

Harleen stopped, her heart hammering in her chest. For a moment, Chris saw a flicker of the vulnerable young Doctor he'd met three years ago but then she started laughing. It was a cruel laugh, filled with vile words and wretched thoughts. A laugh that meant you was going to lose. It reminded him of someone. Someone he knew.

"You wouldn't dare." Harleen spat, a smirk playing on her lips.

Everything happened in slow motion then. Harleen lunged at him, screaming like a banshee. The knife was in two hands, rushing down at him like a river. Chris felt a pain in his heart and a heat spread across his chest. She'd stabbed him alright. Good and quick.

"Harleen…" He gurgled, his body slumping to the ground. "Who are you?"

Harleen went behind him, resting his weight against her front. She angled the blade towards his throat, her breath hot on his ear.

"I'm not Harleen." She whispered. "I'm Harley Quinn."

Then she slit his throat.


	5. Chapter 5

Five –

"What's going on?" Lea asked, standing up.

Hugo shot an apprehensive glance out onto the corridor where Doctors were being ushered from their patient's cells by austere looking guards.

"Nothing is going on." Hugo lied trying to block Lea's view.

"Yes there is." Lea retorted, her frustration begin to show. "The sirens don't just go off randomly like that. There's something going on. What's happening?"

Hugo appeared as though he was about to answer Lea's question but was cut off by security suddenly striding into the room.

"Doctor Strange?" One of them said. "You need to come with us."

Hugo got up from his chair and went to the ensemble who was currently lingering awkwardly in the entrance. One of the guards stared wearily at Lea. She resisted the urge to ask him what his problem was and instead went and sat on her bed.

"What's going on?" Hugo whispered into a guard's ear as Lea eyed the conversation carefully.

"The security systems been breached." The guard whispered back to him. "We need to get you to a safe location while we maintain the situation and make sure that no one gets out in the process."

Hugo shook his head slowly. "No, I'm not leaving her. I'm going to stay here." He began to turn away.

The guard grabbed his wrist with mild pressure, claiming Hugo's attention.

"Get off-"

"Sir…" The guard said in an almost begging like tone. "I insist. The Asylum isn't safe."

"No!" Hugo yelled, pulling his arm free from the guard's tight grasp. "I told you I'm staying here!"

The guard nodded quickly. "Of course, Doctor Strange." He walked towards the door he'd just entered from but paused before leaving. "Just be careful." Then he left.

Lea watched Hugo nervously as he paced back and forth, arms crossed and brow furrowed in thought.

"What did they say?"

No reply.

"Strange? What did they say?" Lea repeated.

Hugo stopped. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry."

Lea sighed and lay back against the soft cushion of her pillow. "Well, no surprises there."

For the next five minutes, there was utter silence. Then the shouting started.

"Shit!" Hugo said, yanking the chair up off its legs and jamming it under the door handle.

"Hey!" Lea cried, jumping off her bed and running up next to him. "What the hell are you doing that for?" She reached to retrieve the chair but Hugo yanked her hand away.

"Trust me." He said.

"No!" Lea growled and started to pull at the chair once more. Hugo wrapped his arms around her waist and tried to pick her up and carry her away from the door. Lea automatically began to kick out.

"Get the fuck off me!" She screamed. "Bastard!" Lea thrust her elbow into Hugo's chest and he immediately released her. Regaining her balance, Lea spun around on her heals, throwing a heavy punch to Hugo's beetroot face.

"Stop." He croaked but Lea didn't stop. She punched him again. Harder.

Realising, there was to be no reasoning with Lea, Hugo attempted to ensnare her delicate wrists in his hands nevertheless she booted him square in the stomach with her right foot. Momentarily, unfocused, Hugo didn't see Lea finally unhook the chair from underneath the silver handle of the stark white door and he didn't see her throw it open and look onto utter chaos either. "Christ." Lea muttered under her breath.

While Lea had her back turned to him, Hugo reached for her however she felt his weight shift, his shadow move and picked up the chair in both hands and smacked him and smacked him round the head with it. Lea looked down at Hugo's unconscious body with her chest heaving, unsure of what to do next. Hearing the sound of someone screaming, Lea immediately let go of the used weapon and fled her cell along with millions of other inmates.

* * *

The Joker couldn't contain his glee when he heard the shrill sound of a thousand alarm bells ringing. Harley had done it! Adrenaline pumping, The Joker shot up from his bed and began to vigorously pound his fists against the door. "Open up." He cooed. The guard outside ignored his request. "Oh." The Joker shouted through the metal."We're playing those games are we?" He knocked with more ferocity. "Open up!" Finally, hearing the satisfying sound of a thousand bolts being unbolted, The Joker stepped back and waited for the guard to open the door. "Finally." He said as a black man called Mike entered his cell. "I thought you'd gone deaf." The guard sidelined The Joker's snide remark. "What is it clown?" He asked, staring him up and down disapprovingly. "I was just wondering if you could tell me what the alarm bells are all about." The Joker asked Mike, a smirk playing on his bloodstained lips. "Nothing to do with you, freak." Mike responded, narrowing his eyes at him. The Joker's face fell. "I think you'll find it has everything to do with me." He snarled. Mike froze, trying to hide the sweat that had started to collect on his forehead. The Joker chuckled as he noticed how uncomfortable Mark had started to become. "You're all the same." He sighed. "Dumb as shit and scared witless." He then grabbed Mike by the shoulders and propelled a strong kick into his abdomen. Mike yelped and fell backwards onto the floor. Laughing manically, The Joker began to kick him continously in his head. The Joker would have kept going, that was until Harley Quinn peeped her face around the door. "Puddin?" "Harley!" He smiled broadly when he saw her. "You did it!" Harley blushed and walked towards him. The Joker pulled her into his arms. "I knew I could count on you." He murmured into her hair. Harley leaned up, parting her lips to kiss him. For a moment, The Joker considered to engage in her affectionate actions but pushed her away at the last minute. "Come on." He said, taking her hand. "Time for that later." Harley tried to shield her dissapointment and let The Joker lead her out of the room, turning back only once to give a despairing glance at Mike's lifeless body. Running down the hall, hand in hand, Harley had never felt so free in her entire life. _Me and him. _She thought. _It was destined._


	6. Chapter 6

Six –

The flight to Gotham was an uncomfortable one. Selina tried her best to catch some sleep but her mind refused to stop racing. _What if this all goes wrong? What if I lose him? _ She stole a glance at Bruce who was looking out the window with faraway eyes. Gotham brought back bad memories for both of them and agreeing to help Blake track down all the Arkham Asylum escapees hadn't been an easy decision to make. After all, Selina knew all about The Joker and how he'd gotten to both Bruce and Batman. Risking seeing that clown again was dangerous. Hell, the whole situation itself was dangerous. _Then why are you doing this? _ Selina asked herself. _Why are you going back with him? This is nothing to do with you. _Selina sighed. _No. _She thought. _It isn't. But I love the crazy bastard, don't I? _It had taken her awhile to admit that to him. It had taken her a while to admit it to herself. Selina wasn't the type of woman that just threw her love around, being let down so many times in the past had taken its toll. She found it hard to trust people, to let herself form attachments to people but with Bruce it was just hard _not _to.

"Thank you." Selina heard him say.

She twisted around to look at him however he was still staring aimlessly at the clouds.

"For what?" She asked teasingly.

Finally, Bruce turned to face her. He was wearing a grey suit, tie and shirt, just like when he'd danced with her at Miranda Tate's charity ball. He looked as good as he had done then and he was starting to look just as sad.

"For coming here with me, for staying when you could have left."

Selina shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Well, I couldn't let you go and make a mess of everything now, could I? Some things are better with a woman's touch."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you flirting with me, Miss. Kyle?"

Selina grinned. "Do you want me to?"

Bruce leaned over and kissed her then. It was a soft, gentle kiss that made the nine hour flight seam much more worthwhile. Bruce brought his hand to her cheek and pulled her closer, the kiss deepening. If it hadn't been for the Captain announcing over the speakers that they would be landing in the next twenty minutes, they probably wouldn't have stopped. Selina slowly and reluctantly pulled away from him then and opted for resting her head against his shoulder.

"I should catch planes with you more often." Selina said.

"I'm nervous." Bruce told her, ignoring her joke.

Selina nestled further into his side. "I know. But it'll be okay. I promise."

Not that it was going to be a promise, she could keep.

* * *

John scaled Arkham's walls, looking at the chaos unfolding below him. Millions of Arkham Asylum inmates were running for the gates, trampling on the corpses of guards they had slaughtered. The guards that were still alive wasted no time in trying to defend themselves, instead they too darted for the nearest exit, trying their up most to go unnoticed. John hadn't seen anything like this since Bane took over Gotham nearly a year ago. For a moment, John had allowed himself to hope that maybe that was the end. But crime would always be in Gotham and Gotham would always need a protector. Sometimes, John didn't feel like he was the right man for the job and that somehow Gotham too knew he wasn't but accepted it because they needed someone to watch over things, to stop the bad guys from taking over, to stop things like this. John crouched down and scanned the area for a clear spot, that he could jump down onto. As he guessed, there wasn't.

"Guess I'll just have to crash the party. Oh, well."

John leaped off the edge of the wall, heading straight for the centre of the action. His feet crashed down onto the top of an inmates head, cracking his skull. It didn't take long for the rest of the group to spot him.

"Well, look who it is." He heard one say. "That Nightwing, guy. Get him boys!"

John whirled around, throwing a heavy punch at one of the approaching inmate's jaws. The man staggered nevertheless tried to knock John clean of his feet. He was too dizzy from John's punch however and only managed a swipe at thin air. Rolling his eyes, John slammed his escrima sticks into the man's chest, winding him; one down with another thousand to go.

"Alfred." John said through the embedded microphone in his collar. "How far away is Gordon?"

"About two minutes away, Sir. How are things out there?"

John grabbed a charging man by his overalls and threw him aside.

"It's not good." John admitted. "The only reason not many of them have attacked me is because of the rush for the gates. There's too many. I need Gordon's help. Fast."

John went round the back, keeping in the shadows, as not to get noticed. He slipped through the fire escape, knocking out a few attempt escapes and dragged them back inside with him. Eventually, he pulled them into the first room he could find, jamming the door from the outside.

Keen to try and stop as many more as he could from getting outside, he continued down the hallway. Coming at him from the other end was a young woman who looked no more than twenty three. She didn't notice John at first but when she did, her eyes widened in surprise and she started to go back the way she'd come. "Oh no, you don't." John growled. He pursued her, willing his legs to pick up more speed. This girl was really fast or really determined. Maybe both. Turning a corner, John realised he'd lost her.

"Shi-"

Something hit John from behind. He fell forward, his head pounding to find the girl stood over him with a gun in her hand. Behind the girl were two dead guards. Had she killed them?

"Stay down." She warned him. "Or I'll blow your fucking head off your shoulders."

Only now, did John get a chance to really look at his opponent. She was tall with long, slim legs and arms. Her feet were bare and bleeding. The girl's hair was a fiery mess and her lip was busted. But she showed no signs of backing down and her narrowed brown eyes looked straight into his and her mouth was set into line. Underneath all the cuts and bruises, this girl was one of the most beautiful he'd ever seen and right now one of the most menacing.

"I don't want to hurt you." He told her, raising his open hand. "But you need to stay in here. You can't-"

Lea whose name John did not yet know, cocked her gun.

"I can do whatever the hell I like. Come after me and I swear to god, I'll kill you."

She remained with the gun pointing at John's head but started to walk backwards; eventually she turned away from him and bolted. John punched the wall in frustration, bits of plaster falling off onto his knuckles. He'd failed. He couldn't even stop a girl. Angry, he pulled himself up onto his feet just as Gordon and his men entered.

"Nightwing?" Gordon yelled. "What happened?"

"Nothing." Nightwing told him. "I could only hold so many. Most of them got away. What about you?"

Gordon rubbed the back of his head as though to soothe a headache.

"Same as you. They're all running lose! We've got the FBI out, tracking them down but there's no way we'll get them all tonight."

Nightwing nodded. "I know. This city isn't safe anymore."

The Commissioner gave him a knowing look. "Since when has it ever been safe?"

The Commissioner was about to say something more when a message came through his com. He turned away from Nightwing and exchanged words with the officer on the other end. "What do you mean, he's still out there? We need him found now! You know what that bastard could do!"

Nightwing's body tensed. Surely, they couldn't be on about…

"Gordon? What was he saying?"

The Commissioner didn't meet Nightwing's eyes.

"The Joker." He said. "He's one of them. He's one of the ones that made it out."


	7. Chapter 7

Seven –

John didn't want to be the one to resurface the heinous memories lurking in the back of Bruce Wayne's mind. Nevertheless, he didn't have a choice. To him, it seemed beyond the bounds of possibility to catch The Joker alone. Yes, he had the Gotham City Police Department to aid him in his mission but John knew it wasn't enough. The Joker although maniacal was implausibly shrewd and capable of withstanding Commissioner Gordon's clutches, but Batman's? Maybe, not so much.

"You can't ask him to come back here." Alfred said. "He has a new life now, one worth living. It isn't fair."

John should have known this idea would affect Alfred more than anyone. Alfred had witnessed the terrible misfortunes and selfless sacrifices that Bruce had made as Batman. He'd watched as The Joker had terrorised the thoughts and feelings of a man he had come to love as a son. Could he ask Alfred to go through that struggle again?

"I'm sorry." Blake replied. "But I'm not strong enough."

"Neither was he!" Alfred shouted, his eyes glistening with fresh tears. "He just never admitted it."

A moments silence fell upon the two. In this silence, Blake took the time to think about the past six months. Alfred had stayed at Wayne Manor for one reason only – him. Although, Blake didn't know Alfred that well, in the days that they had had together, they had become good friends. Blake realised that he'd unintentionally asked too much of Alfred. First, he'd brought Bruce out of retirement and into the cape and cowl, while Alfred watched. Then, he'd asked that Alfred stayed here with him in the place where he had lost two of the most important people of his life and nearly another because of that. Now, he wanted him to go through all this again, with not just Bruce's but Blake realised _his_ own life at risk. A wave of tremendous guilt washed over him and Blake found himself having to sit down with the weight of it all.

"Alfred, I never wanted this to happen. I cared about Bruce. He did a lot for this city and I thought that I could do the same. But I need his help, I don't think I was as ready for this as I initially assumed."

"Then you shouldn't have taken the role up." Alfred retorted. "You've seen what this stuff does to people, what it did to Bruce."

John rested his elbows on his thighs and leant forward, pressing his head into his hands. He rubbed under his eyes, he could almost feel the dark circles, he could almost feel how tired he was.

"I have to do this. It's the only way I stand a chance of saving this city. I won't let him die, Alfred. I won't let him even come close. But I am going to call him and who knows, maybe he'll say no. But I am going to ask."

Alfred cast a look down at the floor. They were in the cave. The place where this all started. Arguing with Blake down here reminded him so much of the past. So much of Bruce.

"That's the problem, Blake. He won't say no. He'll help you and that's what'll kill him; doing what's right."

Then, Alfred walked away.

* * *

"So, when was Alfred supposed to be picking us up exactly?" Selina asked, her arms crossed with her hands trapped under her armpits. Gotham was a lot colder than she remembered.

"3:45." Bruce answered, watching her as she tried to warm herself up. "Why? Are you cold?"

Selina stopped rubbing her arms and glared at him.

"No. I'm hot." She answered sarcastically. Even though, she was wearing jeans. They were _skinny _jeans and didn't do much to warm over her shivering limbs courtesy of the inclement weather. Selina wore a thin, navy jumper and on top of that a stylish leather jacket with silver zips that had once she remembered had been on a hanger in an expensive designer store. Let's just say she'd got more than her moneys worth.

Bruce smirked at her. "Yes, you are."

"Bruce!" She would have reached out to swat him if not for her arms feeling like they might freeze over.

"Sorry." He said, coming towards her. "I couldn't help myself."

Bruce pulled her into his arms then, relishing in the feel of her body against his. Selina looked up at him expectantly, her pupils sparkling with mischief.

Her brown hair fell in small waves on either side of her face; her full lips tinged a dangerous shade of red.

"Are you going to kiss me or what?"

Bruce did just that. Bruce loved the way her mouth moulded against his, he loved the way she gently bit his bottom lip, the feel of her nails digging into his shoulders, a reminder of how in more passionate moments they embedded his bare back. He enjoyed reeling her in closer, the moan that escaped her when he adorned her neck with ten-

"Am I interrupting something?"

Bruce abruptly broke away from the embrace but his hands still remained on Selina's waist and her hands on his shoulders.

"Blake?" Bruce said. "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to see you at the Manor?"

John scratched the back of his head, coming around the side of his motor. "Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Sorry."

Bruce let go of Selina, walking to shake hands with John Blake who had stepped up onto the kerb.

"Nice to see you again, Bruce." He said. "I'm sorry it had to be in these circumstances."

Bruce nodded, taking in a big intake of breath.

"Me too, John." Bruce agreed, feeling the worry and anticipation of the last few days fully sink in. This was it. He was going back. And this time he might not make it out.

John glanced past Bruce's shoulder at Selina who was stood with her hands in her pockets, regarding John with an algid stare.

"Miss. Kyle?" Selina pursed her lips.

"Officer Blake. What a nice surprise."

Selina picked up her bag from the floor and made her way to him.

"John-where's Al-"

"So boys." Selina cut in. "Ready to go or are we just gonna stand in the freezing cold? Since were gonna be trying to take a homicidal clown down we might as well get it over and done with."

Bruce pushed the question of the reason for Alfred's omnipresence aside, deciding it would be better to ask in the car.

"Right, yeah." He agreed. "Best get going."

He with the help of John loaded his things into the back of the car before jumping into the passenger seat.

Twenty minutes in, Bruce brought the question that had been bugging him to attention.

"John, where's Alfred?" Bruce asked.

John stopped at some red lights and swallowed. "He's at the Manor. He was supposed to be picking you up but…he just wasn't ready."

Bruce nodded. Alfred. How hard for him it must be. Bruce tried to get rid of the guilt that had suddenly come over him by mentioning the real reason they were all here.

"The Joker." He said his name with strain, even now saying it caused him pain, reminded him of all the things he'd taken away from Bruce. "How did he even manage to break free? I thought Arkham was secure."

"It is, normally. Someone broke into the security system, someone that worked there we assume. Were not sure who it is yet, the GCPD is supposed to be checking the CCTV today but I haven't heard anything…yet."

"So, The Joker wasn't working alone?" Selina piped up from the back.

"No." John confirmed. "The rest of the inmates escaping though, we don't know if that was part of the plan or just a mess up. Either way, the bastards still out there and it's gonna be even harder to get a hold of him now."

Selina leaned back into her seat as the car started moving again.

"Yeah but that's where we come in. Isn't it?"

* * *

Lea didn't have a plan. Well, not a very good one anyway. Running down the street in an orange jumpsuit and bare feet isn't exactly the best way to go about things nevertheless she wasn't going to give up that easily. Lea still had the gun from when she'd crossed paths with that 'Nightwing' guy. Thankfully, the sky had turned dark giving her a slight chance of escape. They'd find out where she was eventually though. Sure, they had bigger fish to worry about like Jonathan Crane, Zssaz and Scarecrow but she was not far behind. Lea had 'killed' her parents after all.

"Bullshit." She murmured under her breath, turning a corner. A man, clearly intoxicated, came around the other side, with a bottle of Vodka in his right hand. He looked about forty but Lea guessed he was only in his mid thirties. He bared a row of rotten teeth at her the said –

"Hello, gorgeous. Where you heading?"

Lea froze. Was this guy stupid? She was carrying a weapon!

"I'd stay right where you are Mister." Lea warned, tightening her hold on the gun.

"Come on." The man leered, almost falling over his own feet. "Make a man happy will ya? I'll pay you good."

Disgusted, Lea pointed her gun squarely between his eyes.

"Go fuck yourself."

The man frowned at her. "That's not a very nice thing to say, is it now?"

"Do I have to repeat it?"

"You wouldn't shoot me, you bitch! You wouldn't!"

Lea felt the anger flare up inside of her and before she knew what she was doing, she shot him in the leg.

The man fell to the floor, howling in agony. "You whore! You bitch!"

Lea knelt down next to him. "You're gonna do as I say or I'll shoot your other leg as well."

The man held back his tongue.

"Right." Lea said. "I want your coat and anything in it. Got that?"

The man nodded, slipping out of the garment and throwing it at her. She slipped it on. It was a long, dirty old thing that smelt like shit but it covered the jumpsuit and there was money in the pocket, enough she hoped for a bys ride.

"Thanks."

"I'll get you for this! You're insane! You need locking up! You're crazy!"

Lea may be many things but she was positive t that was something she was not. Lea settled that tonight would be the final time someone accused her of being a psycho and that it would also be the start of discovering what had really happened when she was sixteen. She hadn't killed her parents. She'd loved them. She had.

Lea shook her head sadly at him, aiming the barrel at him.

"You'll never get me, sunshine. Not if you can't walk."

Then she shot his other leg.

* * *

**Definitely more Joker&Harley in the next chapter, mainly about what The Joker has planned for Gotham now he's out and how it'll set everything into motion so we can finally see Selina and Bruce suit up again. Abit more on Lea too. She will fit into Selina, Bruce and John's story eventually, but obviously her main priority right now is not being found. Thanks for reading, :)! **


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